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which
time, I'm not allowed ...'
                'If you know,
why shouldn't we know?'
                'It's not allowed, Ma. It's what's called an embargo.'
                'Oh.' Ma's eyes narrowed. 'That's what it's called, is
it?' Means educated fellers like you get to know what's what and us common folk
...'
                Common folk? Ma Wagstaff? Ernie kept backing off, looking
around for friendly faces. 'Please, Ma ... don't push me on this. You'll find
out soon enough.'
                But the nearest person was a good ten yards away, and
when his back hit the wall of the pub's outside lavatory block, he realised
she'd got him into a corner in more ways than one.
                'Now then,' Ma said kindly. 'How's that prostate of yours
these days?'
                'Nowt wrong with my prostate,' Ernie replied huffily.
            Ma Wagstaff's eyes glinted.
'Not yet there int.'
     
     
    CHAPTER
II
     
    'This is mer-madness,' Shaw
said.
                  'No,' said
Therese, 'it's exciting.'
            'You're exciting,' he mumbled.
That's all.' He pushed a hand through her sleek hair, and she smiled at him,
tongue gliding out between her small, ice-white teeth. He was almost crying;
she had him on the edge again. He pushed his back into the car's unfamiliar
upholstery and clenched both hands on the wheel.
            'Shall we go, then?'
            'I can't.'
                'I promise you,' Therese said, 'you'll feel so much
better afterwards.'
                And he would, he knew this from experience. Once, not
long after they'd met, she'd made him go into a chemist and steal a bottle of
Chanel perfume for her. I'll buy it for
you , he'd almost shrieked. But that wasn't good enough. He was rich ...
buying her perfume - what would that demonstrate?
                So he'd done it. Stolen it. Slipped it into the pocket of
his sheepskin jacket and then bought himself two bottles of the shop's most
expensive aftershave as an awkward sort of atonement.
                But the awkwardness had just been a phase. He remembered
lying awake all that night, convinced someone had seen him and the police would
be at the door. Don't worry, she'd said, it'll
get easier .
                Jewellery next. Antique jewellery from a showcase, while
Therese had distracted the manager.
                You'll feel better ,
she'd say.
                She was right. For the first time ever he was getting
whole sentences out without stammering. Although his mother hadn't said
anything, it was obvious she'd noticed. And been impressed. He'd felt quite
wonderful, couldn't wait to see Therese again to tell her.
                His confidence had increased daily. Soon he'd found he
could speak openly to groups of men in the brewery like his father used to do,
instead of slinking into his office and only communicating with the workers
through the manager.
                And when Gannons had made their approach, he'd found it
surprisingly easy to make his decision - with a little help from Therese.
                'Do you want really to stay in Bridelow all your life?
Couldn't bear it, myself. Couldn't live here for a week .'
                And he knew it was true. She wouldn't spend any time
here. If they went for a walk, it had to be up on the moors. If they went for a
drink, it had to be at some pub or club in Manchester or somewhere.
                He wanted desperately to show her off, to show that
stuttering Shaw Horridge could get himself a really beautiful girlfriend. But
she seemed to find Bridelow beneath her.
                'Dismal little place,' she said. 'Don't you think? I like
lights and noise and people.'
                So it hadn't been difficult, the decision to let Gannons
have the brewery. Biggest thing